


how to reveal your feelings for your best friend in one easy step

by reddie_enthusiast



Category: IT (Movies - Muschietti), IT - Stephen King
Genre: Gen, Good Parent Maggie Tozier, Love Confessions, M/M, Sickfic, berry wanted a sick fic so i wrote a sick fic, eddie wishes he had a hazmat suit, he loves him so its fine, richie is kinda loopy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-04
Updated: 2020-07-04
Packaged: 2021-03-04 21:54:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,953
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25063456
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/reddie_enthusiast/pseuds/reddie_enthusiast
Summary: Richie has been sick for the past week, and much to his own chagrin, Eddie hasn't visited him. It was probably better this way anyway. His mom did tell him he's been a bit loose-lipped from the medicine.
Relationships: Eddie Kaspbrak/Richie Tozier
Comments: 10
Kudos: 89





	how to reveal your feelings for your best friend in one easy step

**Author's Note:**

  * For [06_blue_eyed_boys_28](https://archiveofourown.org/users/06_blue_eyed_boys_28/gifts).



> berry asked and they shall receive

Richie really was a dumbass sometimes.

To be fair, it wasn’t his fault he got sick. It was the middle of the flu season, and he was the last Tozier to get infected. His dad had been the first one to bring it home, and it had been like dominoes from there. Both Maggie and Went were back on their feet after a few days, with Maggie just having a few sniffles leftover now. Richie, however, seemed to have the worst of it. He’s been out of commission for the whole week, much longer than his parents had been, and now he was left on the couch, unable to move as his mom forced him to drink tea and take medicine every couple of hours.

He did contract it, because, maybe, just maybe, he wasn’t washing his hands as often as he should have been. And he still weaselled himself into his parents’ bed every night when he got lonely even though they were highly contagious.

His friends, bless their souls, had been kind enough to bring over his homework every day, despite him not being even close to lucid enough to do it competently. His best bet was to hope that everything cleared up by the weekend so he could do everything then.

The only person who had not visited him yet was Eddie, which wasn’t surprising. Even though Richie wanted nothing more than to see him every day for as long as he lived, the chances of Eddie coming to his germ-filled home were slim to none. So Richie was left with the brief interactions he got when everyone else came throughout the week.

Feeling another wave of nausea wash over him, Richie flipped over to his side slowly, his head not leaving the lap of his mother, who, for the last week, had sat diligently at his side with a hand in his hair watching old reruns of sitcoms. Every once and a while, Richie would laugh loudly at a stupid joke one of the characters made even if it wasn’t funny, or he would try to copy their voice.

Personally, he thought he sounded exactly like Will Smith.

Just as another episode started, the doorbell rang.

Maggie sighed, gently lifting Richie’s head so she could get up. He winced at the movement, the slightest motions making his headache. Honestly, he could deal with a stuffy nose and a sore throat, but Richie had managed to get the whole cocktail of sickness. Fever, puking, headaches, sore throat, stuffed up nose, achy bones, and anything else you could think of that even remotely resembled a cold.

The doorbell rang again, and Maggie walked a little faster to open it.

“Oh, Eddie! I wasn’t expecting you to come over anytime soon.”

Richie perked up slightly, listening for Eddie’s answer.

“It was my turn to bring over his homework, so I couldn’t really get out of it. Is he awake?” Eddie asked.

“Well, he is awa–”

“Eddie Spaghetti! I’ve been waiting for you to come see me! What took ya so long? Are you too good to come see your bestest-estest friend?” Richie cut in with a nasally voice.

Eddie walked in, peeking over the couch with a nervous look on his face. “Maybe I just don’t want to be infected with a new strain of bubonic plague. Did you ever think of that? You look like you were hit by a bus, by the way. What the fuck happened to you?”

“That wasn’t very nice of you to say,” Richie said, pouting exaggeratedly. 

Taking a hesitant seat down next to Richie, Eddie started carding his fingers through Richie’s hair, grimacing minutely at the sweaty, greasy feeling. “How long has it been since you showered?”

“Hmm,” Richie pretended to think about it. “Eight billion trillion days!” he exclaimed with a grin.

Eddie resisted the urge to roll his eyes as Maggie walked back into the living room. “Are you staying long? I need to run to the grocery store. I haven’t been able to get away from him–” she looked at Richie pointedly, as if he was paying attention to her at all– “for the past week or so and we’re out of everything except cold medicine. Can you stay with him until I get back?”

“Sure, Mrs. Tozier.”

“How many times have I told you Maggie is fine, dear?” She threw her coat on and checked her watch. “It’s about time for him to take some more medication. I’ve been giving Tylenol but I’m sure you know more about the medicine in my cabinet than I do, so if there’s something else you think would work better, feel free to give him some. Don’t die, I love you,” she said, blowing quick kisses towards them. Richie must’ve heard the light smacking of her lips because he pretended to catch her kisses before turning back towards the tv, laughing gently at another unfunny joke. Eddie resumed his motions through Richie’s hair. It wasn’t as knotty as he thought it would be. Maggie must’ve been doing the same thing before Eddie had showed up. Richie blinked slowly, his head jerking up and down on Eddie’s lap every once and a while.

Eddie patted his back. “Okay, big guy, I think it’s time for you to go to sleep.”

“Nooo, the couch is like sleeping on a cloud from heaven. Don’t send me to hell.”

“Your room is only hell because you’ve never properly cleaned it, Rich.”

Richie sniffled as Eddie pushed him into a sitting position. He wiped fake tears from his eyes. “You’re so mean to me. My Eds, my one true love, is just a big bully.”

Eddie brushed off the one true love comment, chalking it up to Richie’s high fever. Richie leaned heavily on him as they walked up the stairs with a snail’s pace. When they arrived at Richie’s room, Richie quickly collapsed on his bed, huffing loudly. Pulling the blankets out from Richie’s body, Eddie giggled lightly. Richie was a big baby normally, but it was even worse when he was sick. He abandoned Richie in search of some medicine. There was a new bottle of liquid cold medicine in the bathroom, and after checking the date, Eddie poured Richie the appropriate dosage.

Richie sat up enough for Eddie to pour the medicine in his mouth, and Richie immediately grimaced, “This is _not_ the banana flavour! Poison, I say! Thy drugs are quick! Thus, with a kiss, I die.” He grabbed Eddie’s hand and planted a wet kiss to the back of it as Eddie stuck his tongue out in protest before collapsing back onto his pillows dramatically. 

“Stop, Richie! You’ll get me sick.”

“I’m super duper sick, Eds. _Lovesick_!” He sighed with a hand pressed to his forehead.

“Lovesick? Who’s the lucky lady?”

Richie blushed deeply, “I can’t say, you’ll laugh at me.”

“I swear I won’t.”

Richie motioned for him to come closer. He whispered into Eddie’s ear, “The special woman in my life is… your mom!” He leaned back, cackling loudly.

Eddie shoved his shoulder, “Oh, shut the fuck up, asshat. Go to sleep.”

Richie closed his eyes at the sight of Eddie’s stern glare. Eddie stood, picking up some of the dirty clothes and bringing them out to the laundry room. 

“Edssss,” Richie called, voice full of despair.

Rolling his eyes, Eddie dropped the clothes into the pile that was already formulating on the floor in front of the washer; cleaning would have to wait. Richie was sitting up on his bed, eyes watery and lip quivering.

“What’s wrong, Richie?”

“Don’t leave me. I never want you to leave me,” Richie sobbed.

Eddie had to admit, the tone of Richie’s voice did make him feel bad for him. He sighed, pulling Richie’s chair over to the side of the bed. “I’ll sit here with you until you fall asleep, okay?”

“Hold my hand?” Richie held out his sweaty palm, which Eddie took reluctantly.

Falling back on his bed with a gentle smile on his face, Richie giggled. He closed his eyes again, peeking one open everytime Eddie shuffled in his seat. Eddie tried not to look at the clock, forcing himself to think of something other than how mad his mother would be if he was let, and how much madder she would be if she found out she was at Richie’s. She had never liked him, and the fact that he was sick now definitely didn’t help. Eddie leaned back as Richie’s breathing started to even out. He closed his eyes, hoping he didn’t fall asleep as well.

“Eds?” Richie whispered.“Yes?”

“Can I tell you something super duper secret that you have to forget immediately after I tell you?”

“Okay..” Eddie felt a bit nervous, even though he knew it was probably something stupid.

“I do have a crush on someone.”

“If you say my mom again, I’m leaving you here.”

Richie laughed, “It’s not!” He took a deep breath in, “Are you ready,” he said seriously.

“Uh, I guess?”

“I have a crush on you.”

Eddie blinked. That was… not what he expected. Richie was looking at him expectantly. “Uh, u., uh, why?” He groaned internally. That was the best he could come up with?

“You’re so cute like a little baby koala bear and I wanna scoop you up and put you in my pocket and carry you around forever and look at you forever and cuddle and kiss you forever because you understand me and I can joke with you and you don’t kill me or beep me when I’m getting annoying because you think I’m funny sometimes. The way you make me feel is the way I wanna feel forever, Eds.”

“Oh, uhh.”

“Hey, Eddie, did you know some cats have allergies? Like outside? Or humans!?” Richie’s voice wavered. “That’s so sad. I want to give every cat a kiss on its lil head.”

Eddie was still stunned by Richie’s confession. He didn’t answer as Richie continued to babble about other random facts.

“Eds? Are you okay? Are you sad about the cats?”

Eddie blinked harshly. “No, I’m not upset about the cats. Did you mean it?”

“Mean what?”

“That you have a crush on me?”

“Yes sir! You are scrumdiddlyumptious! Do you not think I’m scrumdiddlyumptious?” His eyes threatened tears again and Eddie rushed to fix his thoughts, unable to bear it when Richie was upset.

“No! I mean, yes! Ugh, I like you too, but you’re not going to remember this tomorrow because you’re all whacky on cold medicine.”

“I pinky promise I’ll remember tomorrow.” Richie held his pinky out for Eddie to clasp with his own. “I’m tired now. Goodnight.”

Richie burrowed under his covers, falling asleep quickly and leaving Eddie alone with his thoughts. Eddie leant forward, leaning his face on his free hand. Richie liked him? He never thought Richie would ever like him back, and he definitely didn’t think Richie would confess while doped up on medicine and loopy from a fever. Eddie felt sleep pulling at him. It couldn’t hurt to take a quick nap to clear his thoughts.

***

Maggie shook Eddie’s shoulder lightly. “Hey, sweetie, you gotta get home soon. It’s almost five,” she said quietly so as to not wake up Richie.

Eddie blinked blearily, wiping the sleep from his eyes. “Thank you for waking me, Mrs. T.”

Maggie walked him to the door, giving him a quick hug as he grabbed his coat. “Thank you for taking care of him for me. He didn’t say anything too weird, right?”

Eddie thought back to Richie’s confession. “Only things I hope are true,” he said before heading out the door.  
  


**Author's Note:**

> i finished this quicker than i thought, i hope u like it 🥺


End file.
